It’s the first Saturday of the month and there’s no place Jackie would rather be than singing in the chapel at the Nashville Rescue Mission.
Singing for Supper
“I started coming about three years ago,” recalls Jackie. “I started serving food in the kitchen and when I was done, I’d come out and sing for the guests in the dining hall. This eventually led to my singing in the chapel.”
Jackie has ministered to others through music for more than two decades. She’s been involved in street ministry, prison ministries, as a speaker for women’s conferences and for fun—events that allow her to impersonate her favorite country singer, Patsy Cline.
“I love it when one of the men from the Mission sees me walking downtown and runs across the street to greet me. It’s like running into an old friend.”
Leaving a Legacy
“Of all the things I do, singing at the Nashville Rescue Mission is my favorite,” exclaims Jackie. “Not only do I get to sing, but I come early and visit with the guests. I bring a team of friends and together we cry with them, laugh with them and pray with them. I feel like we are making a difference.”
“There’s nothing better than looking at a man who is hurt and wounded and telling him, ‘When I look at you, I see something you don’t see.’ I want to offer the guests encouragement and love. I want to give them hope. In the process, I see Jesus.”
One of the greatest compliments Jackie recalls receiving was after performing, a guest approached her and said, “Miss Jackie, we love it when you come here. When you leave, we don’t argue or anything.”Glorifying Christ
“I do not second-guess Christ. I know He led me here. I have discovered in the years of walking with Jesus, He has given me a faith of steel—something I want to share with these men. His mercy, grace and benefits are unfathomable and indescribable. For me, there is no other way but to follow Christ…to seek Him…to run to Him. He has a place in my heart that longs for Him. He’s led me to sing for His glory and I can think of no better place to do that than at the Nashville Rescue Mission.”
If you’d like to share your talents at the Mission, call our Volunteer Hotline at (615) 312-1544 or visit our volunteer page.